2006 September - SlashGear

Archive for September, 2006

James Clar lighting shop opens for business October 2nd

By Chris Davies on Saturday, Sep 30th 2006 1 Comment

Back in 2005 quite a few people got excited by a three-dimensional LED display unit created by art & visuals experts James Clar & Associates. Consisting of a lattice of 1000 white LEDs which could be individually controlled via an attached computer, it was held up as an eye-catching and intriguing promotional tool as well as a new spatial medium for interaction. The demo video of Pong being played in 3D is well worth seeing, and certainly makes you want a Cube of your own. At the time all they would say was that a commercial version was a possibility.

3D Display Cube

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Making Podcasts more bearable – volume levelling

By Chris Davies on Saturday, Sep 30th 2006 No Comments

We’ve so far resisted the urge to jump on the podcasting bandwagon here at SlashGear; the market is running close to saturation point with thousands of vocal opinion-junkies clamouring at the ears of the vaguely interested. It can be tricky sifting through the masses of mp3s to find something worth listening to, and the wildly varying recording standards don’t do much to help matters. Perhaps most frustrating is when levels of volume don’t match up – one pundit is far louder than another, maybe, or intermittent music booms out over everything else – meaning you’re constantly twiddling the volume dial like a cheap DJ.

Levelator

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Virtual Canoe stops short of simulating a soaking

By Chris Davies on Saturday, Sep 30th 2006 1 Comment

The last time I got in a canoe I promptly ran it into a rock, capsized and drank what felt like half of a not especially clean river. True story. Something tells me that no matter how real this simulator, I’m not going to be spitting grit and small fish out for a few days after using it; that, to me, is a pro rather than a con.

Virtual Canoe

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Apple Releases OS X 10.4.8 Update

By Benjamin Nied on Friday, Sep 29th 2006 6 Comments

Apple has just taken the wraps off the latest update for OS X, version 10.4.8. Available via Software Update or website download, this marks the eighth (duh) major update for Apple’s Tiger operating system According to the Software Update blurb, this 211 MB (for the Intel-only, non-combo version) update fixes a number of features, which you can see for yourself after the jump!

OS X 10.4.8 Software Update

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Panasonic Words Gear e-book squares up to Sony

By Chris Davies on Friday, Sep 29th 2006 No Comments

You know what this Panasonic girl’s hand signal is saying, Sony? It’s calling your Reader – and by extension, calling you – a loser. Loser with a capital L, in fact. She’s saying that her “Words Gear” e-book has a colour screen and a fancy, touch-sensitive navigation grip. She’s probably even casting doubts on your parentage, the cheeky minx.

Panasonic Words Gear

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Sony E-Book Reader gets price and pre-order

By Chris Davies on Friday, Sep 29th 2006 No Comments

In the world of the future, we’ll all ride on the backs of giant robot weasels, eat food that was grown on Mars and freeze-dried into the shape of Peter Falk’s head, and read our books from the flicker-free screens of electronic books. “Electronic books?!” I hear your scoff, “are you a mad person with the brains of a no-brained idiot?” No, sir, I’m not – and Sony are here to back me up.

Sony Reader

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T-Mobile “My Faves” offers unlimited cross-network calls

By Chris Davies on Friday, Sep 29th 2006 No Comments

T-Mobile My Faves It’s a source of almost constant amazement to me how screwed Americans are when it comes to cellphone calling plans. I mean, what’s going on where the network charges you to receive a call?! Still, I guess it gives carriers greater freedom when it comes to rolling out network treats, since the basic service is such a ca$h milker. Enter T-Mobile, stage left, with their “My Faves” plan.

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Japanese Power Suit for Super Human Strength

By Rue Liu on Friday, Sep 29th 2006 No Comments

The Stand-Alone Power Assist Suit, designed by Japanese Engineers from the High-Tech Research Center of Japan’s Kanagawa Institute of Technology, amplifies human strength via a wearable system of a microcomputer with sensors that regulate air flow into a series of inflatable cuffs. The power suit is designed with the intention of helping nursing home workers lift patients of up to 180 pounds while cutting the amount of strength required in half. It looks like there will be several more versions to come before the suit will become fashionable.
060928 powersuit diagram 02

New Power Suit Amplifies Human Strength [Via: LiveScience]

SlimGeek: Cycling Computer Desk

By Rue Liu on Friday, Sep 29th 2006 No Comments

Long hours in front of the computer making you a little pudgy? Feeling like your legs are obsolescent and atrophied? Stay healthy and in shape with SlimGeek’s Geeky Cycle. This exercise-bike-desk combination costs $350 and is designed so that you can cycle while you work. It’d be interesting if the computer is actually powered by the cycling.
geek a cycle 12

Geek-a-Cycle – Exercise Bike For Your Workstation [Via: Coolbuzz]

Audi R8 for 2008

By Rue Liu on Friday, Sep 29th 2006 No Comments

Audi’s first mid-engine sports car, the R8 packs a V8 engine good for 420 horsepower, all-wheel drive, with18-inch aluminum wheels, and built on the Lamborghini Gallardo platform. The price will be announced in the second quarter of 2007.
audi r8